Asian pear tree named &#39;Asio 6&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Asian Pear tree is provided. The new cultivar forms attractive excellent quality late-season large conical to round fruit having a mottled reddish-brown russet surface with prominent tan lenticels and a very sweet mild flavor. The tree is medium-sized and possesses a well-branched upright growth habit. The leaves are medium green in coloration and possess pinnate venation and an acuminate apex. The fruit of the new cultivar has been found to be capable of storage for a longer period of time than most Asian Pear cultivars.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Pyrus pyrifolial Asian Pear

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. ‘Asio 6’

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct Asian Pear cultivar.

The new cultivar was discovered as a distinctive seedling that germinated in 1983 in a test orchard at 1506 Pleasant View Road, Coopersburg, Pa., U.S.A. The new cultivar was discovered among thousands of seedlings that were produced for test purposes. The seed that produced the new cultivar of the present cultivar was obtained from Japan and was formed on open-pollinated Asian Pear trees. It is impossible to further identify the parent plants of the new cultivar. A single tree of the new cultivar was discovered following selective study and initially was designated No. 1175.

The original tree of the new cultivar first fruited in 1989 and has thereafter annually produced a crop of high quality Asian Pears.

It was found that the new cultivar of the present invention:

-   -   (a) forms attractive late-season large conical to round fruit         having a mottled reddish-brown russet surface with prominent tan         lenticels and a very sweet mild flavor,     -   (b) forms a medium-sized tree having a well-branched upright         growth habit, and     -   (c) forms generally ovate medium green leaves with pinnate         venation and an acuminate apex.

When compared to the ‘Olympic’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States), the new cultivar tends to bear slightly smaller fruit having a more conical shape. The surface fruit coloration is more mottled than the more uniform coloration of the ‘Olympic’ cultivar and the fruit of the new cultivar is optimally harvested when the surface coloration has a red hue. In contrast it has been found that the fruit of the ‘Olympic’ cultivar is over mature when it begins to turn red. The fruit flesh of the new cultivar is more coarse in texture than that of the ‘Olympic’ cultivar and is comparable in crispness and juiciness. Also, the fruit of the new cultivar has been found to be capable of storage for a longer time than most other Asian Pear cultivars. For instance, the fruit of the new cultivar has been found to store well at 32° F. for up to approximately five months without breakdown and only slight skin shriveling.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by budding on ‘Bartlett’, ‘OHxF 97’ and Pyrus betulafolia rootstocks carried out at Aspers, Pa., U.S.A., beginning in 1990, and at Geneva, N.Y., U.S.A., beginning in 1997, has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as described herein are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

The new cultivar has been named ‘Asio 6’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of the character trees of the new cultivar and plant parts thereof.

FIG. 1 illustrates the original tree growing at Coopersburg, Pa., U.S.A., while in the dormant state. The tree limbs had been artificially spread with limb spreaders and rope tie downs over the years of growth.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close view of a typical branch of the original tree when dormant wherein the numerous fruiting spurs are shown. Some branch scars resulting from Cicada Brood X damage during 2004 also are included and should be disregarded as being atypical.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close view of a typical flowering branch of a young cloned tree of the new cultivar. The tree had been growing in the field at Germansville, Pa., U.S.A., for five years following asexual propagation by budding. Blossom clusters with and without petals are shown.

FIG. 4 illustrates a close view of a typical branch (leaves removed) of the new cultivar. The internodes, buds, and limb coloration are shown.

FIG. 5 illustrates a close view of a typical branch with leaves of the new cultivar.

FIG. 6 illustrates a close view of a typical leaf of the new cultivar. The overall leaf shape, color, venation, margin configuration, and apex are shown.

FIG. 7 illustrates the spreading growth habit of a typical tree of a young cloned tree of the new cultivar while abundantly bearing fruit. The tree had been growing in the field at Germansville, Pa., U.S.A., for five years following asexual propagation by budding. The typical well-branched upright growth habit is shown.

FIG. 8 illustrates a close view of a single fruit obtained from the young cloned tree of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 illustrates the typical attractive recently harvested fruit of the new cultivar. A ruler showing dimensions in millimeters is located at the very bottom for comparative purposes.

FIG. 10 illustrates typical internal (right) and external (left) views of the fruit following approximately four months of storage. The slight darkening of the flesh shown on the internal view is attributable to the customary oxidation upon the passage of time when the flesh is exposed to air. A ruler showing dimensions in inches is included at the bottom for comparative purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. When used in some instances, ordinary color terms are to be accorded their ordinary dictionary significance. The trees described were being grown at Coopersburg, Pa., U.S.A., and at Germansville, Pa., U.S.A.

TREE

-   Origin: Seedling of unknown parentage. -   Tree:     -   -   Size.—Large. The original tree has been pruned to maintain a             height of approximately 14 feet. Typical heights for budded             trees are approximately 5 feet following planting in the             field for three years, and approximately 8 feet following             planting in the field for five years.         -   Growth habit.—Moderate vigor and well-branched.         -   Configuration.—Generally upright. Limb spreaders can be             utilized to further improve branch angles.         -   Density.—Somewhat open (as illustrated).         -   Hardiness.—Hardy in bud and wood.         -   Fruit bearing.—Productive.         -   Bearing habit.—Generally laterally on second year or older             spurs. Fruiting generally is annual except following a year             when there has been an extremely heavy fruit crop. In such             instance a biennial bearing habit may be displayed in the             following year.         -   Trunk.—Medium in diameter, grooved, and slightly rough in             texture. -   Branches:     -   -   Thickness.—Medium.         -   Frequency.—Moderate branching.         -   Texture.—Generally smooth.         -   Bark color.—Yellow-Green Group 148A.         -   Lenticels.—Commonly approximately 12 per internode on             average, somewhat prominent, and tan in coloration. -   Leaves:     -   -   Size.—Long, and approximately 11.9 cm in length on average.         -   Configuration.—Generally ovate.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Serrulate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate with many fine branches.         -   Thickness.—Medium.         -   Color.—Upper Surface: Medium Green, near Yellow-Green Group             147A when fully mature. — Under Surface: Silvery Green.         -   Petiole.—Medium in length and commonly approximately 3 cm in             length on average. -   Flowers:     -   -   Season.—Mid-season, commonly substantially concurrent with             the ‘Olympic’ cultivar, first bud break commonly is near             April 21st, and full bloom commonly is near April 30th.         -   Size.—Medium, and commonly approximately 3.5 cm in diameter             on average.         -   Color.—White, White Group 155A.         -   Bearing.—Commonly in a corymb of approximately 8 to 10             flowers. -   Fruit:     -   -   Season of maturity.—Late-season, approximately the same time             as the ‘Olympic’ cultivar, commonly with optimum harvesting             between October 8th and 15th.         -   Size.—Large, commonly 250 to 400 grams per fruit. It is             recommended that the fruit be thinned in order to encourage             the formation of the larger-sized fruit.         -   Configuration.—Conical to round.         -   Neck.—Absent.         -   Stem.—Medium in length, thick, and lipped.         -   Cavity.—Shallow, and acute.         -   Basin.—Obtuse.         -   Calyx.—Deciduous.         -   Skin.—Ground Color: Yellow-Green Group 153B. — Surface             Color: Greyed-Orange Group 167A and Greyed-Orange Group             169B. The skin bears an uneven and textured reddish-brown             russet with visible tan lenticels.         -   Flesh.—Very juicy, white, crisp, and slightly coarse in             texture. Equally crisp as that of the ‘Olympic’ cultivar but             the texture is more coarse.         -   Core.—Median.         -   Carpels.—Elliptical with axial symmetry.         -   Seeds.—When fully pollinated, ten seeds develop with two             seeds per carpel that are five in number. Commonly             approximately 6 to 10 seeds are present per fruit. The seeds             are medium-sized, commonly flattened on one side and are             dark brown in coloration.         -   Total soluble solids.—Commonly approximately 13 to 15 Brix             on average.         -   Quality.—Excellent, crisp, juicy, highly attractive with a             mild flavor, and intense sweetness.         -   Keeping quality.—Possess a long storage life. Can be kept up             to approximately 5 months at 32° F. without significant             breakdown; however, some surface shriveling can result from             prolonged storage. See FIG. 10 for satisfactory fruit             appearance after approximately 4 months of storage. 

1. A new and distinct Asian Pear tree that possesses the following combination of characteristics: (a) forms attractive late-season large conical to round fruit having a mottled reddish-brown russet surface with prominent tan lenticels and a very sweet mild flavor, (b) forms a medium-sized tree having a well-branched upright growth habit, and (c) forms generally ovate medium green leaves with pinnate venation and an acuminate apex; substantially as herein shown and described. 